An 8 months old child presented with history of recurrent lower respiratory tract infection. Chest x-ray showed it to be a case of right sided congenital diaphragmatic hernia with entire right lobe of the liver herniating into the right thoracic cavity and compressing the right lung.
Congenital diaphragmatic hernia is a rare disease with the incidence of about 1 per 3000 live births. In this condition there is a defect or opening in the diaphragm, a sheet of muscle separating the abdominal cavity with the thoracic cavity (chest). Through this defect the contents of the abdominal cavity enter into the thoracic cavity and compromise the lungs.
About 90% of the cases of diaphragmatic hernia are left sided and only about 10% are right sided. Right sided diaphragmatic hernias are associated with poor outcomes and increased complication rates.
Our patient underwent successful surgery and was discharged uneventfully on 7th postoperative day.
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